What Are You Fighting For
Phil OchsVersion1
90
Chords in this song
Strum
D-DU-UDU
Oh you tell me that there's danger to the land you call your own
And you watch them build the war machine right beside your home
And you tell me that you're ready to go marchin' to the war
I know you're set for fighting, but what are you fighting for?
Before you pack your rifle and sail across the sea
Just think upon the Southern part of the land that you call free
Oh, there's many kinds of slavery and we've found many more
I know you're set for fightin', but what are you fighting for?
And before you walk out on your job in answer to the call
Just think about the millions who have no job at all
And the men who wait for handouts with their eyes upon the floor
Oh I know you're set for fighting, but what are you fighting for?
Turn on your TV, turn it on so loud
And watch the fool a smiling there and tell me that you're proud
And listen to your radio, the noise it starts to pour
Oh I know you're set for fighting, but what are you fighting for?
Read your morning papers, read every single line
And tell me if you can believe that simple world you find
Read every slanted word till your eyes are getting sore,
I know you're set for fighting, but what are you fighting for?
And listen to your leaders, the ones who won the race
As they stand right there before you and lie into your face
If you ever try to buy them, you know what they stand for
I know you're set for fighting, but what are you fighting for?
Put ragged clothes upon your back and sleep upon the ground,
And tell police about your rights as they drag you down,
And ask them as they lead you to some deserted door,
Yes, I know you're set for fightin', but what are you fightin' for?
But the hardest thing I'll ask you, if you will only try
Is take your children by their hands and look into their eyes
And there you'll see the answer you should have seen before
If you'll win the wars at home, there'll be no fighting anymore
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Readable chord sheet for What Are You Fighting For by Phil Ochs
[C]Oh you tell me that there's danger[F] to the land you ca[Em]ll your own And you [F]watch them build the war machine [Em]right beside your [Am]home And you t[C]ell me that you're ready to go [F]marchin' to the [Em]war I [Dm]know you're set for fighting, but [G7]what are you fighting [C]for? Before[C] you pack your rifle a[F]nd sail across the [Em]sea Just [F]think upon the Southern part of the [Em]land that you call[Am] free Oh, the[C]re's many kinds of slavery and [F]we've found many[Em] more I [Dm]know you're set for fightin', but [G7]what are you fighting [C]for? And [C]before you walk out on your j[F]ob in answer to the[Em] call Just [F]think about the millions who [Em]have no job a[Am]t all And the[C] men who wait for handouts with[F] their eyes upon[Em] the floor Oh[Dm] I know you're set for fighting, b[G7]ut what are you fighti[C]ng for? Tu[C]rn on your TV,[F] turn it on so [Em]loud And w[F]atch the fool a smiling there an[Em]d tell me that you'r[Am]e proud And [C]listen to your radio, the [F]noise it starts to[Em] pour Oh[Dm] I know you're set for fighting, b[G7]ut what are you fighti[C]ng for? Read[C] your morning papers, [F]read every single [Em]line And t[F]ell me if you can believe tha[Em]t simple world yo[Am]u find Read[C] every slanted word till your[F] eyes are gettin[Em]g sore, I [Dm]know you're set for fighting, but [G7]what are you fighting [C]for? And [C]listen to your leaders, [F]the ones who won the [Em]race As th[F]ey stand right there before yo[Em]u and lie into yo[Am]ur face If yo[C]u ever try to buy them, you kno[F]w what they stan[Em]d for I [Dm]know you're set for fighting, but [G7]what are you fighting [C]for? Put [C]ragged clothes upon your [F]back and sleep upon the[Em] ground, And t[F]ell police about your r[Em]ights as they drag yo[Am]u down, And[C] ask them as they lead you t[F]o some deserted [Em]door, Yes,[Dm] I know you're set for fightin', but [G7]what are you fightin' [C]for? But [C]the hardest thing I'll ask yo[F]u, if you will only[Em] try Is ta[F]ke your children by their han[Em]ds and look into the[Am]ir eyes And [C]there you'll see the answer you[F] should have see[Em]n before If[Dm] you'll win the wars at home, [G7]there'll be no fighting [C]anymore